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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered, Moderator, Tech Support, Technical Support, Forum Support Team, Forum Support USA, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team Joined: 17/12/2013 Posts: 3,983 Points: 11,974 Location: NY, USA
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This year I participated in a Star Wars challenge. The challenge was to scratchbuild a Star Wars model-But there was a twist. You couldnt build a model from any of the movies. After the success of the original Star Wars movies some of the model designers produced sketchbooks of the Star Wars vehicles.Some of these were prototypes of the ships that made it into the movies and some were designs that never made it to the movies. So a Joe Johnston Star Wars sketchbook was chosen and we all picked a sketch.The finished models were displayed at Wonderfest this year in Kentucky.This is a huge meeting of modelers and has a enormous number of spectacular models on display. I decided to pick a fairly simple model that I would 3d design and print. Here is a picture of the imperial scooter that I picked. I used Rhino6 for the 3d design and the scooter was printed on a Form2 SLA printer. I used a 1/12 Bandai stormtrooper as the rider for the scooter. darbyvet attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered, Moderator, Tech Support, Technical Support, Forum Support Team, Forum Support USA, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team Joined: 17/12/2013 Posts: 3,983 Points: 11,974 Location: NY, USA
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The first step was to make a simple representation of the stormtroopers legs so I could make sure that I got the dimensions right. I started the design of the body of the scooter with a simple shape.This will be gradually modified to make the actual shape of the scooter body. darbyvet attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered, Moderator, Tech Support, Technical Support, Forum Support Team, Forum Support USA, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team Joined: 17/12/2013 Posts: 3,983 Points: 11,974 Location: NY, USA
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Once I had the basic dimensions I started adding some detail.The circular section at the front is where the front part of the scooter attaches.I made an exhaust vent on the side.There will be a vent on either side, 3 at the back and 3 underneath the scooter.One of the benefits of 3d design is once you have a part made you can duplicate it and move it wherever you need it. darbyvet attached the following image(s):
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Nice work Carl. Really sounds interesting and right up my street. Wish we had something like that over here, although I don’t have a 3D printer, I’d properly scratch build it from everyday items. Will be following with interest. Mark
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You do like a challenge Carl. I have no doubt this will be of the same standard as you other builds. I look forward to watching this evolve Current Build:- [color=blue]Stash Avro Lancaster (Full Kit)plus some extra issues I picked up at a good price [color=blue]Built:- Norman Catapult by Mantua,Roman Catapult by Mantua,HMS Victory,HMS Victory XSection,Focker DB1,Bismark,English Carronade Titanic Lifeboat,American Civil War Gatling,Hummer,Sopwith Camel F1,Occre Jupiter ,OcCre Wagon, Latina Arab Dhow, Eaglemass Orrery OcCre Rogers 119 [color=red][color=red]RB7,OcCre Missippi River Boat, Model Airways Fokker DR1 OcCre London L>C>C 106 Ugears Scrambler, Ugears Hexapod Explorer UGears Off-Road Vehicle
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Official Builds, Administrators, Moderator, Global Forum Support, Registered Joined: 04/06/2011 Posts: 4,215 Points: 12,790 Location: ipswich
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This is looking great. 3D printing really is starting to impact big time on our hobby, despite those Luddites who only a few years ago were saying it will never happen.
A great start.
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Very interesting project Carl and very well done.... Look forward to seeing what follows.... Regards Alan
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Should be a fun build Carl, looking forward to seeing the end result. Well done so far.
Kev Per Ardua Ad Astra
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered, Moderator, Tech Support, Technical Support, Forum Support Team, Forum Support USA, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team Joined: 17/12/2013 Posts: 3,983 Points: 11,974 Location: NY, USA
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Thanks everyone, more work on the main body design.I added the exhaust pipes and refined the shape of the body. darbyvet attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered, Moderator, Tech Support, Technical Support, Forum Support Team, Forum Support USA, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team Joined: 17/12/2013 Posts: 3,983 Points: 11,974 Location: NY, USA
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I also started work on the front part of the scooter.This is the bit that the rider sits on.I designed a rough outline of the part and then I 3d printed it to make sure the rider would fit.It took a couple of times to get the size right. One of the benefits of 3d design is once you have the part designed you can easily resize the part. @Markwarren-For the challenge some guys did a regular scratchbuild using plastic and resin and regular modelling techniques and some used 3d design and some did both 3d printing in combination with parts that were 3d printed. The original Star Wars models were kitbashed from several model kits.These kits are all long out of production and it could cost your hundreds of dollars to get hold of kits that had the detail parts required to build the Millenium Falcon and Tie fighters etc..... Now with the rise of 3d printing many people are able to print their own detail parts instead of hunting down rare kits. darbyvet attached the following image(s):
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Looking excellent Carl. I have never done 3D printing or designing, maybe have to start and teach myself. Really looking forward to seeing this come together. Have you got the stormtrooper at the ready? Mark
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Looks like you have something interesting taking shape there Carl. Happy Modelling
BUILDING: Hachette Spitfire Mk 1A, Constructo Mayflower SUBSCRIPTION COMPLETE (Awaiting building): USS Constitution, Sovereign of the Seas, 1:200 Bismarck (Hachette) COMPLETED: Porsche 911, E-Type Jaguar, Lam Countach
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered, Moderator, Tech Support, Technical Support, Forum Support Team, Forum Support USA, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team Joined: 17/12/2013 Posts: 3,983 Points: 11,974 Location: NY, USA
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Thanks guys
@markwarren there are a ton of tutorials on youtube on 3d CAD and alos quite a few free 3D CAD program you can download to learn the basics of 3D drawing.
More work on the scooter body.The main body has been split up into parts to make printing easier and the front part of the scooter is done except for some refining of the seat.
The last picture shows an exploded drawing of all the separate parts. This picture is a render.When you 3d design generally the object your are drawing appears as a bunch of surfaces with lines (isocurves) on them.This requires less work for the graphics processor so you can quickly rotate the model as you are working on it. The rendered image a much higher resolution drawing that shows you what the part will actually look like.You can change the lighting and surface color and texture of the parts so it actually looks like a photo of a real object.The program I use (Rhino6) is actually used by a lot of 3d designers just to make computer images instead of actual parts.
Now the scooter design is finished the next step is to load them parts into the 3d printers software.This will check to see if the model is watertight. Watertight basically means printable.Sometimes when you draw an object although it looks fine there are gaps or holes and it cant be converted to a print file. its like when you build a boat, but dont make it watertight-it will leak if you put it in water.If a 3d file is not watertight the software cannot convert the 3d image into a solid object
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered, Moderator, Tech Support, Technical Support, Forum Support Team, Forum Support USA, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team Joined: 17/12/2013 Posts: 3,983 Points: 11,974 Location: NY, USA
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oops.here are the rendered images darbyvet attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Administration Groups: Administrator, Administrators, Forum Support Team, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team, Moderator, Official Builds Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 1,907 Points: 5,737 Location: UK
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Carl, that’s brilliant. Are there significant improvements over Rhino 5?
Don’t even mention Formlabs. Grrrrrrrrr!!!
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Nice work Carl, after seeing what you are doing I think I’ll start looking into it. Mark
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered, Moderator, Tech Support, Technical Support, Forum Support Team, Forum Support USA, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team Joined: 17/12/2013 Posts: 3,983 Points: 11,974 Location: NY, USA
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admin wrote:Carl, that’s brilliant. Are there significant improvements over Rhino 5?
Don’t even mention Formlabs. Grrrrrrrrr!!! I never used Rhino5 so I am not sure what changed. I dont think it was a lot based on the tutorials I have watched using rhino5.I think a lot of the enhancements were in the rendering side of things rather than the 3d design. I finally got my replacement Form2 after 3 weeks waiting.They did refund my hot swap fee and sent me some free resin. Carl
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Have to say Carl I'm very impressed with your 3D design skills, looks brill.... .. Regards Alan
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered, Moderator, Tech Support, Technical Support, Forum Support Team, Forum Support USA, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team Joined: 17/12/2013 Posts: 3,983 Points: 11,974 Location: NY, USA
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Thanks Alan, The next step was to load the 3d files into the printers software.The 3d design program exports the file and an .obj file.This is a file that 3d printers can use. The 3d printer I used is a Form2 SLA printer.This printer uses liquid resin that is light sensitive.When a UV laser hits the resin it turns from liquid to solid.The object is printed at a series of slices.The FOrm2 prints the object upside down and it requires some supports added to the object.The program generates the print file and then analyzes the print to make sure it wont run into any problems. The form2 produces very high resolution parts, but it is a very slow process.The main body of the scooter was a 29 hour print. Initially I was going to print the main body in 2 parts because I didnt think it would fit, but I needed to resize the scooter when I did a test print because the figure didnt fit so I was able to print the main body as one piece which saved a lot of seam work. darbyvet attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered, Moderator, Tech Support, Technical Support, Forum Support Team, Forum Support USA, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team Joined: 17/12/2013 Posts: 3,983 Points: 11,974 Location: NY, USA
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Here are some pictures of the printer.There is a resin tank at the base of the pritner.The print table lowers into the resin tank and a laser fires from underneath the tank to create a solid slice.The print table is then pulled out of the resin tank and then lowered back in to the tank for the next slice.This process repeats hundreds of times until the part is finished.Once it is finished the part (still attached to the build table) is taken off the printer and placed in a machine that washes the part.You need to do this because the part is covered in uncured sticky liquid resin. THe wash station bathes the part in 91% alcohol. Once the part has dried it then goes into a curing oven.This bathes the part in UV light for 30 minutes.This is necessary to cure the resin so it hardens. Once the parts are out of the oven you clip off the supports and the parts are ready for paint. darbyvet attached the following image(s):
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